Vending machine



July 2 1924.

w. J. sousoust VENDING MACHINE 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13 INVENTOR.

Y i 29 w. J. BOUSQUET 3260 VENDING MACHINE Filed May 13, 1922 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I FJB-- F1116,

v I L A I r .7 I X J7 a I v fl IN VEN TOR.

i WILLIAM JOHN BOUSQUET, F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAMUEL SISISKY,

Patented July 29, 1924;

UNTED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OF THOMPSON VIIiLE, CONNECTICUT;

VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed May 13,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. Bous- QU'ET, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Sprin field, in the county of Hampden and tate of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Vending Machine, of which the following is a specification. e

My invention relates to improvements in machines designed for dispensing objects upon the introduction into such machines of coins of predetermined denominations, and consists generally of a supporting frame in a casing, and certain, peculiar, actuating means for the objects dispensed, locking means for said actuating means, coin-operated unlocking means, and operating means for said actuating means, together with such other parts and members as may be necessary or desirable in order to render the machine complete in every re spect, all as hereinafter set forth.

The primary object of my invention is to produce a comparatively simple and inexpensive machine which is capable of holding and dispensing a plurality of flat objects, such as paper combs, one at a time, uponthe deposit in the machine of a coin of the required denomination or size. As just intimated, this machine is especially designed and adapted for vending paper combs, although it might be used without extensive or material change for vending other objects.

A further object is to provide a machine of this character with easily operated, compact, working parts and members'which are comparatively few in number and not liable to get out of order.

Another object is to provide the machine with mechanism which can not, with a single coin, be manipulated for the discharge or delivery of more than one object, how ever much attempt may be made to manipulate and operate successfully the mechanism after the deposit .of such coin. In other words, a coin must be deposited for each object dispensed.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

I attain the objects and secure the advantages of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

1922. Serial No. 560,646.

which embodies a practical and preferred form of my invention, the'door being'open;

Fig. 2, a cross section through the. main supporting frame for the mechanism of said machine, looking down; Fig. 3, a vertical section through the machine, taken on lines 33, looking in the direction of the associated arrow, in Fig. 1, except that the upper portions of the casing and supporting frame are broken ofi'; Fig. 4, arighthand, side elevation of the machine after removing the corresponding side of the easing; Fig. 5, an enlarged, right-hand, side elevation of the operating mechanism showing the same normally disposed; Fig. 6,

a similar elevation showing said mechanism which securely to close such opening. In

the top of the casing 2 is a vertical coin slot, as clearly shown at 5 in Fig. 4, wherein said top is cut back far enough to disclose said slot. Ardelivery orifice 6, for the combs 1, is provided in the door 4. j

An operating knob 7 has a shank 8 which is journaled inthe right-hand side of the casing 2. With the exception of the shank 8 and its knob 7, the moving parts and members of the mechanism, and also the supporting means for the combs, are attached to or connected with and carried on a frame which fits into the casing 2, and may be removed therefrom inthe event repairs are needed, or for any other purpose. This is obviously an important feature of the invention. r

The aforesaid frame comprises a bottom plate 9, a back platelO, a partition plate 11 having a vertical reenforcing strip 12 on the right-hand side and intermediate of the front and back edges thereof, a partition plate 13 parallel withsaid plate 11, a guide plate 14, and top and bottom spacer bars 15. The bottom 9 isof 'asize which is adapted to J'fit' the bottom within the walls and doo'r'of the casing 2, and the back is of the same width as said bottom 9 and :extends upwardly 'therefrointo the top of said casing, whenthe frame is in place in the casing. The back 10 sets forward a short distance from the rear edge of the bottom 9, thus leaving a rearwardly-pra jecting portion of said'bottom, and the under spacer bar 15 is located in the angle ifb flfledfby said rear'wardly projectin poron ofsa'id bottom with said back, t e upforta pair of lugs 16 which extend rear- Wardly from said back. The partition 11 fjfrms', with the lefthand'side of the casing andaportion of the back 10, a compartment'for the combsl. The reenforcing strip 12 extends downwardly from the top loffthe partition 11 to within a. short dis- Qtancecffltheibottom of the same. Secured to the right-hand side of the strip12 is [a vertical coin chute 17, such chute being llocateddirectly' b'eneath the coin slot 5. The

partition 13 isat the rightof the partition .11, "and with the right-hand side of the basing "and a portion of the back 10 provides a chamber for a coin box 18, such box being receivable on thebottom 9. The

"greater part of the operating mechanism is located between the partitions 11 and 13.

'The-partition 13 extends upwardly from the bottom f9 to an elevation somewhat above "that of the shank 8, and is of the same widthas 'the'pa'rtitio'n 11, but has the up= per, rear portion out and bent to form the guide .14. The guide 14: extends to the left "and upwardly, from the partition 13, into contact at' the upper terminal of the forward portion of suchfguide with the partition 11.

The rear portion of the upper edge of the guide 14 doesnot extend to the left as far as theforward portion of s'uchedge, so that an opening 19, best shown in Fig. 2, is left between said rear portion and the partition 11 for the passage of a gravity latch bar 20. A ll of the parts andanenibers of this 'frame arerigidly attached to or connected with each other.

"Two horizontal guide rails 21 are pro videdfor the combs1. These guide rails are turned downwardly at theends to form "feet which'rest on the bottom 9 to which latter said feet are secured. The rails 21 are in spaced, parallel relationship, and er;- tend from the back 10 to the vertical plane of the front edge of the bottom 9. The

upper surfaces of the rails 21 are slightly above. theuhorizontal plane of the bottom of the inner, constricted portion of the orifice 6, which orifice is made flaring at the outer end. There is a slot 22in the bottom of the partition 11, which slot extends from the back 10 forwardly some distance. A slide block 23 is arranged on the bottom 9 between the rails 21, the top of said block being approximately flush with the upper edges of said rails except at the rear end'of the block where there is an upwardly-extending lug 24:, such lug being slightly less in height than the-thickness of any of-the combs 1. The "back 10 iscut away [behind the block 23 to enable said block to be moved bacls into contact with the lower spacer bar 15. When the block 23 is in its rearmost position, which is the normal position, the lug 24 is beneath the partition 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The block23 extends above the slot 22. A

pin 25 extends to the right from the block 23, beneath the right-hand rail 21 and throughthe slot 22, into the space between the partitions 11 and 13. The pin 25 is the direct medium for actuating the block 23 forwardly and rearwardly between the front edge of the bottom 9'and the lower spaced bar 15, and the slot 22 is long enough to permit saidpin to be moved'to therequired extent for this: purpose. It'is understood, of courseythat the block "-23 is considerably shorter than the distance from the lower bar 15 to the front edge of'the bottom 9. The block 23 is the delivery vmember of the machine.

The combs1 are'stacked on the rails 21, with the lowermost comb resting directly on said rails and on the block 23 in front of'the lug 24-. It follows, therefore, that when the block 23 is .actuated forwardly the lowermost comb is carried with it, and

thatwhen said comb is entirely withdrawn from beneath the stack and said block is retractedthe combs above drop down onto the rails 21 and said block in readinessfor the delivery of the comb that is then at the bottom'of said stack. A weight 26 may be placed on top of the combs to insure the downward movement of'the same as each bottom comb is withdrawn.

An actuating lever .27, for the block 23, has its upper terminal pivotally connected at 28 with the reenforcing strip 12, and extends downwardly to engage the pin 25, there being a longitudinal slot 29 in said lever to receive the inner terminal'of said pin and permit the. necessary movement of the parts to take place. The lever 27 is below the lower end of the coin chute 17. Ex tending'forwardly fromthe'lever 27 a. shortdistancebelow the pivot 28'is an arm30,

and extending rearwardly from said lever a 7 short distance abovethe lower end .thereof is a latch lug 31"whi'ch is providedatthe rear end on top with a tooth 32. A guide 33 1s provided'to prevent the lever 27 from springing away from the strip 12. The guide 33 has its forward terminal secured to the partition 11 and extending outwardly and rearwardly from such terminal into contact with the right-hand side of the lever 27 A spring 34 is attached at its forward end to the lever 27 at 35, and at its rear end to the back 10, at 36. The spring 34 tends to actuate the lever 27 rearwardly and to retain said lever in such position, thus causing the block 23, through the medium of the pin 25 to be actuated into its rearmost position, and normally to be retained in such position. The bar 20 is slidingly arranged in the angle formed by the partition 11 with the back 10, on the right-hand side of said partition, in upper and under guiding and supporting lugs 37 and 38, respectively, which lugs project inwardly from'said back. At the base of the bar 20 is a forwardly-extending latch 39 which is provided at the front terminal on the bottom with a tooth 40'. The construction and arrangement of parts are such that, when the lever 27 is swung rearwardly on the pivot 28, the tooth 32 is caused to snap into engagement with the'tooth 40, and said lever 1s held and prevented from swinging forwardly and carrying with it the block 23. The openings in the lugs 37 and 38 are longer than they are wide, to show which these lugs. are shown in section in Fig. 6. This is to enable the bar 20 to move forwardly and rearwardly in the lugs, which movement is required for reasons that will presently appear. V

p A lever 41 has a pin 42 that projects from both sides at the rear. terminal of such lever. The rear terminal of the lever 41 is received between the lugs 16, and the pin 42 is received in the lugs 16. Thus the lever 41 is pivotally connected with the back 10. The lever 41 extends forwardly from the pin 42 with an upward inclination, and said lever is pivotally connected at 43 with the bar 20, the lever being on the right-hand side of said bar, and behind and longitudinally. in the same vertical plane with the chute 17 Upon raising the free terminal of the lever 41, said lever swings upwardly on its pivot 42 and carries with it thebar 20, at thesame time causing said bar. to move rearwardly in the slots or openings in the lugs 37 and'38 and approach the back 10, and upon releasing said lever, said bar descends by gravity and moves forwardly to the front ends of said openings in said lugs. The descent of the bar 20 is checked by the contact of the bar with the aforesaid front edges of the openings in the lugs, because, when such contact takes place, the pivot 43 is above the horizontal plane of the pivot 42. hen the bar 20 is in this, position the latch 39 is located with, its tooth 40in the path of the tooth .32.

A horizontal. transverse operating rockshaft or spindle 44 has its right-hand tering frame from the casing 2, when the shank 8 is removed from said spindle. The spindle is located between the bottom end of the chute 17 and the pivot 28.

Securely mounted on and secured to the spindle 44 is a coin-receiving rocker 45 provided with a forwardly-extending arm 46. The rocker 45 has a slot 47 therein which opens through the top and rear edge thereof. The back portion of the bot-tom of the slot 47 is curved downwardly as shown at 48, the rocker being in partial section in Fig. 6 the better to show such downwardly curved part. The rocker 45 is arranged and located to be oscillated beneath the chute 17 and the adjacent terminal of the lever 41. The lon git-udinal center of the slot 47 is in the same vertical plane in which are located the ion gitudinal centers of the chute 17 and the lever 41. A spring 49 has its upper end attached at 50 to the arm 46, and its lower end attached at 51 to the arm 30. The spring 49 is stronger than the spring 34. When the lever 27 is held by the latch 39, the spring 49, acting through the arm 46, normally retains the rocker 45 in the position illustrated in Fig. 5, with the slot 47 located directly beneath the open bottom of the chute 17. The bottom ofthe chute 17 inclines from the front end upwardly and rearwardly as at 52, to enable a coin in the rocker to be removed from said chute and carried rearwardly when said rocker is tilted rearwardly. A stop pin 53'for the rocker extends to the right from the partition 11 intothe path of the arm 46.

A penny, which is the coin of the required denomination for operating this machine, is represented at 54 in Figs. 5 and 6.

Assuming that the supporting frame with the parts and members carried thereby has been slipped into the casing 2, and that the shank 8 has been connected with the spindle 44, and assuming further that a stack of combs has been placed on the rails 21,.an'd that the door 4 has been closed and looked, the complete operation of the machine, is described as follows:

" The coin 54 is dropped through the coin slot 5 into the chute 17, and passes downwardly' through said chute into the rocker 45. The knob 7 is grasped and turned in the direction to tilt the rocker 45' from the position whichit occupies in Fig. 5 to'that' which it occ p es n He 6.- l s eeren rr es the coin f]: beneath the lever 41 and causes the latter to be swung upwardly on its pivot I 42 andthus elevate the rod and withdraw the la ch 39 from the engagement with the lug 81. Then the spring 49 acts to swing the lever 27 to the left, against the resili ency of the spring 34:, with the result that the block 23 is thrustforward against the door at, and carries with it. the bottom comb 1, the forward terminal portion of which is projected into and beyond the. orifice 6see F 6. The protrudingeiid or this combis grasped between the thumb andfing'e'r' and the comb is withdrawn entirely from the machine... Meanwhile the knob 7 is released, and the springs 49 and 3acontract, the first causing the rocker tobe tilted intoi-t-s forward position again with the slot 47 'b'eneath the chute 17 and the second swinging the lever 27 rearwardly again into locking engagement with the, latch 39; As the rocker 45 moves into initial' position the coin 54, which is grasped betweenthr bottom of the slot 47 and the lever 41, drops downwardly fiatwise onto the guide: i l and slides from the latter down into the box 18, the open top of such box. being in position to receivethe coin as it slides or of the guide. The coin necessarily drops when the rocker 4.5 is tilted forwardly, because at such time the curved surface 48 of the bottom of the slot 47 rides from beneath said coin. and the latter rolls down said surface. It isfnot possible,therefore, for the coin. tobe' carried -ii'orwa-rdly with the rockerj'beneatli the "chute. "The latch 39 drops as soon as. the restraining influence of the coin is removed, so that it is in position to'engage thelugdl as's'oon as the spring Sl operates toactuatesaid lug rearwardly. The rearward movement of, the lever 27 restores, the block 23 to initial position in readiness to thrust forward the nest comb.

v If the spindle i l be rocked to tilt the rocker 45 rearwardly', when there is no coin in said rocker, suchmovementis. idle and has no eiiect on the comb-delivery mechanism, because such mechanism is. locked the latch 39, only the spring A9 being then i r V Inthe operation of the mechanism, the coin 54 becomes wedged between thebottom of the'sl t' L'Y -and the lever 41 in siichposition'fand in such 'a manner. that said coin mustpass out of the rocker 4 5,wl1eii the latter is, actuated forwardly and thus permit the latch 39 to drop: into locking position relative to the lever 27',"so"tliatlit impossible to obtain more than one "comb with a s g ec i p I The forward movement of the rocker 45 is limited by 'the5'upperend1oi the lever 27 with which thelbottom of said rocker comes into cQntactwhen-iilted forwardly The door, when closed forms the front side or end of the compartment in which thecombs i are located. The inner, end of theorifice 6 in thedoor is of a size or proportion to permit the bottom comb to pass out therethrough, while at the same time preventing the. comb which is immediately abovesaid first-named comb from entering said'orifice. i a

i More or less change in the shape, size, con struction, and arrangement of some or'all of the parts'oi this machine'may be made without departing froni'the spirit of my in vent-ion or exceeding the scope of whatfiis claimed. i i i idliatl,claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i U l. The combination, in a vending ma-' chine, with a sliding delivery member for the objects dispensed, a spring-pressed oscillatory operating member. pivotally connected. with saiddelivery member, a longitudinally reciprocating latch for said oscillatory member, a lever pivotally connected with said latch, and a coin chute adapted to deliver a coin in an approximately vertical position at the outlet end otsaid chute, of means to receive said coin in such position from said. chute and with theedge of said. coin operate said lever'to actuate said latch out ofengagement with. saidfoscillatory member. i

'2 The combination in a vending machine, with a delivery member for the objects dispensed, a spring-pressed oscillatory operating member forsaid' member, a. latch for said oscillatory member, and" a coin chute adapted to deliver a coin in an approximately vertical position at the outlet end of said chute, o f-a spring-pressed rocking member in operative relation relative to saidchute and said latch, and adapted to receive said .coin in such position and with the edge oi said coin actuate said latch out of engagement with. said oscillatory memr The combination, in a vending machine, with a delivery member for the objects dispensed, a spring-pressed oscillatory operating member for said delivery member, a gravity latch for said operating member, a pivotally-mounted-operating arm for said latch, and a coin chute, of a springpressed rocker, in position to receive a coin from. said chute an'd witlr'such coin to actuate said last-named lever to raise said latch out of engagement with said operating member, when j said rocker is actuated against there'siliency of its spring, whereby said. operating member is actuated against the're silicncy of its spring.

. 4. The combination, in a vending machine, with supporting meansior the objects to be" dispensed,-a delivery member for such obj 'ects-,'and a coin chuteopen at the m sa c bottom, of a coin-receiving rocker beneath said chute, an operating lever for said delivery member, a spring connecting said rocker and said lever, a spring arranged to act on said lever against said first-named spring and weaker than the same, locking means for said lever, and means to disengage said locking means from said lever when a coin received by said rocker from said chute is carried away therefrom.

5. The combination, in a vending machine, with supporting rails for the objects to be dispensed, a block arranged to slide between said rails and having a projection to engage the bottom object, a pivotally mounted lever in operative engagement with said slide, a spring arranged to actuate said lever in one direction, and a coin chute in said casing, of gravity latch-mechanism for said lever, a rocker below said chute, said latch mechanism including a member in the path of a coin in said rocker when the latter is moved away from said chute, and a spring, stronger than said firstnamed spring, arranged normally to retain said rocker in receiving position beneath said chute. l, ,e-. ,ei.i.

6. The combinatipn,, in' a ,vending machine, with a sliding member adapted to deliver the bottom object from a stack of objects to be dispensed, a pivotally mounted lever in operative engagement with said member, a spring adapted to actuate. said lever in one direction, a gravity latch for said lever, a pivotally mounted lever pivotally connected with said latch, and a chute, of a coin-receiving rockermounted beneath said chute and adapted to carry a coin therefrom into operative engagement with said second-named lever, whereby said latch is caused to release said first-named lever, and a spring, stronger than the first, connecting said rocker and said first-named lever, and adapted to actuate the latter against the resiliency of its spring.

7 The combination, in a vending machine, with a coin-chute, a gravity latch, and an operating lever for said latch, of a rocker beneath said chute, said rocker having therein a slot at right angles to the axis of the rocker, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that, when a coin is received in said slot and carried by said rocker into engagement with said lever, which latter is in the path of the edge of said coin, such lever is actuated against the force of gravity exerted thereon by said latch.

8. The combination, in a vending machine, with a coin chute, a gravity latch, and an operating lever for said latch, of a rocker beneath said chute, said rocker having a slot therein a portion of the bottom of which is curved downwardly, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that, when a coin is received in said slot and carried beneath said chute, said rocker having aslot therein to receive a coin from said chute, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that, when a coin is received in said slot and carried by said rocker into engagement with said lever, which latter is in the path of such coin, said lever is actuated to raise said latch, and said coin is caused to roll out of said slot by engagement with the operating lever onthe return movement of the rocker, and means to limit the movement of said rocker in both directions.

10. The combination, in a vending machine, with a deliveryslide, a pivotally moun lev in Qp rati eengaa nhwith ai sl de a d; ev rsbeing provide .with r a latch-engaging; -1nemben and aaspmng adapted to actuate said lever in one directi on, of a gravity bar provided with a latch normally in the path of and in engagement with sad latch-engaging member, means to' support said bar for vertical and to and fro movement, a pivotally mounted lever pivotally connected with said bar, and means to operate said second-named lever, through the medium of a coin, to move said latch out of engagement with said latch-engaging member.

11. The combination, in a vending machine, with spaced supporting members for the objects to be vended, a block arranged to slide between said members, and having a projection at the rear end to engage the bottom object, a pivotally mounted lever in operative engagement with said block, and provided with a forwardly extending arm and with a rearwardly extending latchengaging lug, a spring arranged to actuate said lever rearwardly, a gravity bar mounted to move longitudinally and to and fro, and provided with a latch to engage said lug, a pivotally mounted lever pivotally connected with said bar, and a coin chute, of a suitwhereby said second lever is elevated and carries with it said bar, thus taking said latch out of engagementwith said lug, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that, when said rocker, with a coin k to slide between said members, and having a projrction at the rear endito engage the bottom object, a p'ivotally mounted lever in operative engagement with said block, and provided with a' forwardly extending arm and with a re'arwardly extending latch-engaginglug, a spring arranged to actuate said lever re'arwardly, a gravity bar mounted to move longitudinally and to and fro, and provided with a latch to engage said lug,

,a pivotally mounted lever pivot-ally connected with said bar, and a coin chute, of a suitably journaled spindle provided with a knob, a rocker secured to said spindle beneath saidc'hute, and having a slot opening through thetop andrear edgesthereof, the rear portion of the bottom of such slot curving downwardly, and-said rocker being provided with a forwardly" extending arm, a spring, stronger than the first, connecting said arms, said'second-named'lever being in the patlro-f a coinin said rockerwhen the latter is actuated rearwardly, whereby said second lever is elevated-and carries with it said baigvthus taking said latcli out of engagement with said lug, the construction and arrangement of parts" being such that, when said rocker, with a coin vtherein, is tilted forwardly, against the resiliency of itsspring, said lever causes said coin to roll down said bottom and out of said slot and" said first-named lever is actuatedforwardly, against theresiliency of its spring, and a stop pinto limit the upward movement of said rocker arm and the rearward'niovemem of the rocker, said first-named lever serving as a stop for the forward movement of said rocker.

WVI-LLIAM JOHN BOUSQUET.

\Vitnesses':

LOUISE MARY Bousoun'r, Go i'n'on P. THOMAS.- 

